Cavitation mixer

Abstract

A device for mixing the components of a mass flow flowing through it, provides a particularly homogeneous mixture with any desired long-term stability, even if components which are generally immiscible or can only be mixed with very great difficulty are being mixed. The device has a body (8), which it is difficult for medium to flow around, arranged in a through-flow chamber (4), this body being arranged at least partially in a part of the through-flow chamber (4) which widens in the direction of flow, so that the cavitation action and mixing action of the supercavitation field generated by the body (8) which it is difficult for medium to flow around is significantly reinforced.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The invention relates to a device for mixing the components of a mass flow flowing through it, in which the components may, in particular, be in solid, liquid or gas form by means of a hydrodynamic supercavitation field, in order to generate a mixture, in particular an emulsion or a suspension.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]If what is known as the static pressure in a liquid flowing in, as a result of a flow constriction, locally falls below the vapor pressure, cavitation occurs, i.e. vapor-filled gas bubbles, which are also known as cavitation bubbles, are formed in the liquid. If the static pressure then increases again and exceeds the vapor pressure, these gas bubbles collapse implosively (practically at the speed of sound).[0005]This mechanism of hydrodynamically generated cavitation is covered by the Bernoulli-equation. According to this equation, it is generally the case (cf. “Gerthsen Physik”, Helmut Vo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0043]According to a further advantageous configuration of the invention, the body which it is difficult for medium to flow around consists at least in part of an elastic, nonmetallic material or has a corresponding covering. This inherently prevents the cavitation fields from having any disruptive effect on the equipment.

[0044]According to a further advantageous configuration of the invention, part of the mass flow which is to be mixed or a certain component thereof can be introduced directly into the through-flow chamber via a correspondingly designed holder and a correspondingly designed body which it is difficult for medium to flow around, in each case having corresponding hollow spaces which pass all the way through. In this way, the supercavitation field or its mixing action can once again be influenced in a controlled way, in particular according to the type of components which are to be mixed, in such a manner that an optimum mixing action is achieved.

[0045]According to a further advantageous configuration of the invention, both the body which it is difficult for medium to flow around and the mass flow in the through-flow chamber can be acted on by ultrasound. By way of example, this allows the body which it is difficult for medium to flow around to be set in vibration, which can intensify the formation of the cavitation fields and / or the mixing action thereof. Accordingly, applying ultrasound to the mass flow makes it possible to effect additional ultrasound cavitation and to intensify the cavitation fields which have already been generated by the body which it is difficult for medium to flow around itself and / or the mixing action thereof.

Problems solved by technology

Even slightly beforehand, the static pressure falls below the vapor pressure of the liquid, which is a few hundred Pa, and cavitation occurs, in particular, if microscopic air bubbles are already present as nuclei, which is difficult to avoid.

Therefore, this device effects only relatively poor mixing of the components of the fiber-material suspension with regard to the homogeneity (particle size) and long-term stability of the dispersion produced.

The intensity of the cavitation field produced using the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,982 is too low for mixing or dispersing phases which are difficult to mix or disperse.

However, the body which it is difficult for medium to flow around as a whole is arranged at a fixed location in a through-flow passage which, moreover, has a constant circular cross section in the region of the body which it is difficult for medium to flow around and as seen in the direction of flow.

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